


Love in an Elevator

by cute_nerds



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Fluff and Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-08-10 00:51:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7823770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cute_nerds/pseuds/cute_nerds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Really," Sehun drawled, "You should be thanking me for your sprained ankle. Otherwise, you never would have known that the love of your life works two floors down."</p>
<p>Or, in which Jongin falls in love in the space of 7 floors, and his friends are never going to let him live it down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love in an Elevator

**10:00 AM**

“Really,” Sehun drawled into his Triple Venti, Half-sweet, Nonfat Caramel Macchiato, “You should be _thanking_ me for your sprained ankle.”

Jongin made a noise of quiet anguish into his green tea, knowing full well that Sehun would continue without any other provocation. Though the lanky pain in the neck might _look_ like the kind of person who’d smack you over the head for being loud in a library, he was incredibly chatty once he figured he had one over on you. Like now. Jongin eyed his tea and contemplated pouring it on himself to escape.

Sehun kept going, still very pleased with himself. “Otherwise,” he pointed out, “You never would have known that the love of your life works two floors down. Since you never take the elevator. Which, by the way, is ridiculous. Who _likes_ taking the stairs?”

“I do,” Jongin mumbled, hoping that Sehun would start on that instead of the embarrassing encounter of the morning. He sipped at his tea. “It’s good for you.”

Sehun opened his mouth to protest, and was thankfully interrupted by the arrival of their boss, sliding into the seat across from Jongin with a quiet smile. “You could stand to do some more stairs, Oh,” the manager remarked dryly. “And you could also hurry up and get me the final mock-up for the Wu account. I’d _like_ to get it closed before noon.”

Sehun took an irritated sip of his coffee and sighed in a long-suffering manner; long legs unfolding as he pushed off the table. “Your wish is my command, sir,” he replied, sending a _we’re not done yet_ look Jongin’s way before he strolled off, looking all the world as though he had two days instead of two hours to finish his work. Jongin pretended not to notice.

“You too, Kim,” the manager instructed, gesturing to Jongin’s workstation. “Try not to pine _too_ much,” he added wickedly, and Jongin sighed and flailed his way in affirmative before shuffling his rolling chair back into position, tea cradled in his hands.

He never should have agreed to play soccer with Sehun and his friends, Jongin grumbled internally as he started to open the graphics he was working on. The throbbing ankle had been bad enough, but it wasn’t the worst part. Nor was the ribbing he’d gotten from Sehun’s friends for managing to trip into his own goal. No, compared to the events of the morning, that hadn’t been bad at all. At least, Jongin thought sourly, nearly deleting a very important image, neither of those things had lasting effects on his focus… unlike the heart-shaped smile of the man in the elevator.

**8:26 AM**

Jongin eyed the elevator doors with contempt.

He’d _never_ taken the elevator. Rain or shine, snow or hail (none of which _technically_ mattered because both elevator and stairwell were in the building), he took the stairs. It was good for him, right? And he’d take 9 flights of peace over a cramped, airless box any day.

Unfortunately, it was looking as though today he was going to have to take the airless box. His ankle throbbed as if to underscore this statement, and he sighed as he pressed the ‘up’ button, glowering at the closed doors.

The lights changed slowly, as if the elevator sensed his displeasure and wanted to retaliate. Jongin scowled at it as it arrived, blessedly empty, and awkwardly maneuvered into the lift, shuffling nearest to the panel with all the buttons. He was raising a hand to press his floor when he heard a lilting voice, slightly out of breath, call, “Please hold the elevator!”

For a split second Jongin considered pressing the ‘door close’ button, but he figured karma was angry enough at him already and so shifted his finger to ‘open’, tapping it politely as a small figure tumbled into the elevator, brushing at its bangs.

“Thanks,” the figure said, and Jongin made a soft grunt in reply – not just because it was early and he was irritated, but because he’d just taken a second look and was currently trying to remember how to form words.

The creature currently patting down his bangs was so _pretty_. Jongin swallowed, hard, and vocalized his most brilliant line yet: “What floor?”

The small angel looked up, round eyes crinkling slightly. “Seven, please,” he requested, lips curling in a delightful smile. Jongin managed to press the appropriate buttons and the elevator closed upon them, filled with silence.

**10:49 AM**

This wasn’t working.

Jongin groaned and resisted the urge to smack his head on his keyboard, instead opting for rubbing at his eyes. And he would have, too, except that a cooler set of hands slid over his face first.

“Guess who~” trilled a voice, and Jongin sighed and spun in his chair, breaking the hold.

“Just because Chanyeol works on this floor,” he grumbled at Baekhyun, who looked irritatingly pleased with himself, “Doesn’t mean that you have license to come down from 10th to harass the _rest_ of us.”

“You misunderstand my mission, Jonginnie,” Baekhyun chirped, waving a file folder at Jongin. “You see, I have these _very important documents_ to go to the 7 th floor…”

Jongin eyed the files warily and said nothing.

“And I wondered if you’d be a _lamb_ and run them down for me,” he finished, looking particularly smug. Jongin wondered what he was missing.

“Can’t you find someone else to run down to accounting?” he asked, deliberately ignoring the pout on Baekhyun’s face. _Don’t make eye contact,_ he reminded himself. _That’s how he gets you._ “I’m busy.”

Baekhyun eyed the screen behind Jongin, still flipping the papers up and down in his hand. “I can see that. Well, if you don’t want an excuse to go see the love of your life, I won’t stop you…” and he turned as if to make an exit.

Jongin made an involuntary, panicked noise and instantly regretted it as Baekhyun turned back and grinned, eyes disappearing in a wicked smile. He sighed in resignation and held out a hand as if he was being terribly put-upon when really, his heart was starting to race.

 

**8:27 AM**

After a couple moments of silence wherein Jongin did his best to check the other man out without looking like he was staring, the ~~angel~~ ~~ethereal being~~ man spoke. Jongin resisted the urge to startle like a newborn, throwing out both arms in surprise, and looked attentive instead.

“Do you have the time?” he asked, patting at his pockets and flashing Jongin a nervous smile. “I left my watch at home.”

Jongin nodded and pulled out his phone, throwing it a cursory glance and ignoring the 3 texts from Sehun already waiting. “Eight twenty-seven,” he confirmed, crinkling his eyes in a friendly expression (he hoped) in response. He glanced at the numbers – fourth floor. Was the elevator _always_ this fast?

“Oh good,” sighed the other man. His smile was heart-shaped and beautiful, and Jongin was glad he was already leaning on the wall for support. “I thought I was late. Thank you,” he finished as the doors _dinged_ open. Jongin nodded and watched forlornly as the small man murmured, “Have a good day,” and headed out onto the office floor.

As soon as the elevator doors shut, Jongin leaned his head back into the wall with a _thunk_ and closed his eyes.

He wasn’t sure what to berate himself for first – not saying something, or never using the elevator before.

 

**10:52 AM**

Stepping back into the elevator, Jongin took a deep breath and hit the correct button, grip on the envelope slightly sweaty. He ignored the small voice in his head (it sounded suspiciously like Sehun) that said he was acting like a teenager with a crush and braced himself for the doors to open.

Trying not to crane his neck too much, Jongin shuffled forward into the floor, not sure where to look. It looked fairly similar in layout to the 9th floor, except that somewhere among the desks was hidden a small, pretty being, and that made it infinitely more interesting.

“Can I help you?” came an amused voice from his right, and Jongin blinked and turned towards someone wearing a cat’s grin. From his expression, Jongin surmised that he’d been staring like an idiot. He promptly ducked his head, cheeks suffused with redness.

“I’m looking for a –“ he peered down at the envelope, noting absently that his hands had smudged the name slightly. “Do Kyungsoo?”

The smile grew. “Sure. This way.” Jongin hesitated, and the catlike man tsked. “He won’t bite. And neither will I,” he added after a thought, holding out a hand. “Kim Jongdae at your service. Now, off to find the munchkin!”

Jongin mumbled his name, shook hands dutifully, and followed, trying to keep an eye on where Jongdae was going and crane his neck at the surrounding floor simultaneously. There were no adorable men around, and he was almost starting to wonder if he’d imagined the morning incident when he almost ran into Jongdae’s back.

“Kyungsoo~” Jongdae sang, peering into an office. A quiet voice said something that Jongin didn’t hear, and Jongdae scoffed and looked offended. “I brought you a new victim,” he told the occupant of the office. “And he’s very handsome, so I’d be nice to me if I were you!”

Jongin flushed to the roots of his hair as Jongdae turned, winked, and ushered him into the office.

“I, um, have papers from upstairs,“ Jongin started, bowing his head respectfully. When he looked up, about to say something equally mundane and quiet, he stopped with his mouth partway open, eyes widening. The man sitting in the office with a funny expression on his face was the beautiful man from the elevator.

“It’s you again,” he greeted, lips curling into that lovely heart, and Jongin resisted the urge to sigh.

 

**10:57 AM**

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _Did u find ur soulmate on floor 7_

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _Thank me later_

 

**10:54 AM**

“Uh, hi,” Jongin managed to force out, along with a small smile. “Yeah. I’m Jongin. Kim Jongin. From upstairs?”

Kyungsoo stared up at him for a moment, and Jongin mentally berated himself for speaking. “I gathered,” he replied dryly, and held out a hand. “You said you had papers?”

Jongin remembered himself and held out the files. “Byun Baekhyun sent them down,” he said, letting go of the files with reluctance, as if they could somehow act as a shield for social ineptitude. “I’m just the messenger.”

The other man made an ‘mmm’ sound of acknowledgment, pulling out the papers immediately while Jongin stood there awkwardly. Whatever was on the top sheet (handwriting?) made Kyungsoo snort with amusement before he slid backwards in his chair and put the file down.

“I haven’t seen you around before,” Kyungsoo said when he turned back to Jongin, who froze in the middle of inching out the door. At Jongin’s head-tilt, he clarified, “On the elevator.”

“My ankle’s sprained,” Jongin blurted, and ducked his head. He was a grown man, not a lovesick teenager, he told himself. He could do this. “I usually take the stairs,” he added, “It’s supposed to be good for you.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes darted to Jongin’s ankle, currently hidden underneath a suit, and back up. “I’m sorry to hear about your ankle,” he said pleasantly. “But I think it’s best to give it a break, don’t you?” Kyungsoo tilted his head up, catching the light, and Jongin had a momentary vision of stepping forward and cupping it in his hands, bending down and…

“I’ll do my best,” he stuttered, as his phone went off in his pocket. Kyungsoo nodded, and Jongin thought he looked a bit disappointed as Jongin scrambled for his phone. It was a text from Baekhyun, and Jongin shoved his phone away but Kyungsoo was already rolling backwards on his chair.

“I’ll let you get back to work,” he said, tone friendly. “It was nice to meet you, Kim Jongin.” Kyungsoo added. Jongin tried not to feel disappointed as he bowed his way out.

 

**11:01 AM**

**To: Byun Baek**             Lose my number

 

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _YOU DIDN’T ASK HIM OUT_

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _JONGIN WHY_

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _NOW YOU’LL NEVER GET MARRIED_

**To: Byun Baek**             Blocked

 

**2:06 PM**

His ankle was throbbing again, along with his tailbone and the palm of his hand, which was quickly developing rug burn from the cheap carpet. However, the largest casualty of the collision was most definitely his pride. The day, Jongin decided, couldn’t get any worse.

He looked up at Sehun from the floor, eyes narrowed in a mixture of irritation and pain. “The workplace,” he announced with a long-suffering air, “Is not _supposed_ to be a hazardous place.”

Sehun was too busy dying of laughter to acknowledge this statement.

 

**11:08 AM**

The second coffee break of the day (well, tea) found Jongin faceplanted on his desk, willing away the redness in his cheeks and ignoring the vibrating of his phone. For a second meeting with a very attractive stranger, he wasn’t quite sure how much worse he could have messed up.

Well, that wasn’t quite true. Chanyeol had once allegedly confessed his love for someone in a men’s room, so Jongin at least had that going for him.

Lifting his head onto one hand, Jongin considered his reflection in the darkened computer monitor. The flush appeared to have gone down, at least until one of his friends decided to drop by and harass him. He sighed and rolled over to turn the computer back on, tapping the keyboard with more vigor than perhaps was necessary as he tried to shake himself into a productive frame of mind.

He wasn’t going to worry about any Do Kyungsoo in Accounting for the rest of the day, Jongin told himself. He’d just made a new acquaintance who happened to be attractive. There was no need to get stressed about it.

 

**11:07 AM**

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _Jongin_

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _Jongin_

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _Jonginniiieeee~_

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _Why are you ignoring me_

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _Are you that heartbroken_

**To: Byun Baek**             It’s called a job you should try it some time

 

 

**2:03 PM**

His resolution to not think about Kyungsoo lasted about three hours.

It actually wasn’t his fault, not really. He’d been as productive as he could within those hours between Baekhyun harassing him (did that man ever actually do his job?) and dealing with last-minute customer requests, and Jongin was fairly positive that he deserved a break. Some time to stretch his legs, perhaps, make sure that his ankle didn’t detach from his body from disuse, that sort of thing.

Of course, as soon as he left his tiny little office, Sehun set upon him. The taller man followed Jongin around the floor until they were standing near the elevators, and Sehun finally grabbed Jongin’s elbow to explain that no, he wasn’t here to harass Jongin (though, how _was_ his torrid romance going?) but to ask him about the Wu account that he was supposed to be finishing up today.

Jongin was halfway through a detailed explanation involving violent hand gestures when the elevator _ding_ ed. Half-turning out of reflex, Jongin stopped mid-gesture when he spotted who was coming out of the elevator.

Kyungsoo’s wide eyes got even wider at the sight of him, and a small smile lit upon his lips. Jongin resisted the urge to sigh happily.

“Jongin!” Kyungsoo called, heading towards him. “I thought you were on the tenth floor with Baekhyun-“

If there was any justice in the universe, Jongin thought later, Kyungsoo wouldn’t have tripped over what looked suspiciously like Sehun’s foot. If there was any justice at all, Kyungsoo would not have flailed, apparently determined to keep his grip on his files over his balance, and Jongin would not have stepped forward to catch him, been carried down by Kyungsoo’s momentum, and landed directly on his ass. But there was no justice in the universe, and now Jongin had not only a throbbing ankle, but also a smarting tailbone and a lap full of a very adorable co-worker.

“Are you okay?” he asked, both concerned and distracted because Kyungsoo was trying to extricate himself from Jongin’s legs. Kyungsoo had turned a pleasing shade of pink somewhere between tripping and the floor, but despite that, he managed to wriggle out of Jongin’s grip with dignity.

“Sorry - I’ll just- go find Chanyeol –“ Kyungsoo mumbled and fled, leaving Jongin to wonder whether there was any justice left in the universe.

Also, was being in his lap really _that_ bad?

He would have asked Sehun, but he didn’t look like he was going to offer any sympathy.

 

**2:23 PM**

“Jongin,” Baekhyun said with an air of exaggerated patience, “You mean to tell me that the man of your dreams was in your very lap and you didn’t make a move? Did you take a vow of celibacy and forget to tell me?”

Jongin, who had escaped up to the tenth floor, made a muffled noise into his hands. Baekhyun patted his arm sympathetically. “I know that you don’t have my social skills,” he continued, “But you could have at least tried for a flirty joke, or something…”

Jongin mumbled something uncomplimentary and resigned himself to being alone.

 

**2:45 PM**

Jongin was going to call it a day, he decided. It wouldn’t be too hard to convince the manager that he wasn’t feeling well, and then he would escape, to somewhere far away from attractive co-workers whose very presence made his life a mess. The fact that he’d have to come in _tomorrow_ … well, he’d deal with that tomorrow.

He was on his way back to the elevator when it _ding_ ed softly (a noise he was coming to dislike) and opened to reveal the very person he’d just spent 20 minutes moaning to Baekhyun about. Jongin ducked his head with embarrassment as Kyungsoo’s eyes met his, and was going to step past him (he’d take the stairs, sprained ankle be damned) when a small hand shot out and grabbed him around the wrist.

“Jongin,” came Kyungsoo’s voice, small and determined, “Can I apologize?”

Jongin swallowed hard, and met Kyungsoo’s eyes. “For what?”

“Well, for knocking you down,” he replied, looking a lot more collected than he had about 40 minutes prior, though his complexion was beginning to turn pink. Jongin started to flush in response at the memory. “It can’t have helped your ankle.”

“I don’t think you can be blamed for Sehun tripping you,” Jongin offered, rubbing at the back of his neck, and winced as soon as it came out. Kyungsoo’s head jerked up at the words, eyes intent, and Jongin backtracked. “I mean-“

“Why would he do that?” Kyungsoo asked, with apparent interest, though he’d stepped closer to Jongin with a tiny smile on his lips, like he already knew the answer. His grip on Jongin’s wrist remained, and Jongin looked down at it rather than look the other man in the eyes.

“Because he delights in tormenting me,” Jongin grumbled, “And…”

Kyungsoo was flat-out grinning, now, his smile taking up his entire face, eyes curling up at the corners. Jongin was mystified by the appearance of this smile, but he couldn’t help but straighten a bit at its appearance, a flower turning towards the sun.

“And?” Kyungsoo pushed.

“I think you’re the most attractive person I’ve ever met in an elevator,” Jongin mumbled, cheeks unbearably hot. He peeked at Kyungsoo’s expression and was surprised to see that Kyungsoo was equally red, including his ears.

“Well,” Kyungsoo said thoughtfully, ploughing on with determination even though both of them were turning the colour of a ripe tomato, “In that case, I think… I think we should go get some coffee.”

“I don’t drink coffee,” Jongin pointed out, not following. Kyungsoo sighed.

“I’m asking you out,” Kyungsoo said patiently. “Do you want to date me or not?”

_Oh_. “Yes! Yes. Please,” he rushed out, and Kyungsoo laughed in delighted surprise, slipping his grip around Jongin’s wrist down to his hand and twining their fingers together. He jerked his head towards the elevator, looking triumphant, and Jongin felt a smile curling up his own lips in response.

“Let’s go,” Kyungsoo insisted, and Jongin followed, pausing on the threshold as a thought occurred to him.

“Wait – do you need something up here?”

Kyungsoo had the grace to look embarrassed. “No. I was coming to talk to Baekhyun,” he admitted, and Jongin laughed, stepped into the elevator and let the elevator doors close behind them.

 

**3:00 PM**

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _Jonginnie can you bring me coffee_

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _Jongiiinnniiiieee_

 

**To: Byun Baek**             Hyung I’m on a date go away

 

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _FINALLY_

**_From: Byun Baek_ ** _You nerds owe me big time_

 

**3:02 PM**

**_From: Byun Baek_ **

**To: PCY, Oh_Sehun**

[img attachment]

Pay up!

 

**Author's Note:**

> -Jongin and Kyungsoo have the fluffiest coffee date known to man  
> -Their first kiss is in the elevator up to Jongin's apartment, a week later  
> -They get dorky couple sweaters I'm sure.   
> -Eventually they will get a puppy  
> -Baekhyun will also get his just desserts 
> 
> And there you have it - my first attempt @ EXO fanfiction. Hope you enjoyed!


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